Vice Pres. Noli called on to quit for staying on sidelines

March 4, 2008

For staying on the sidelines over the tumult triggered by the exposés into the alleged anomalous $329.5-million National Broadband Network (NBN) deal, Vice President Noli de Castro has also been called on to quit his post along with President Arroyo to make way for a “transitional government.”

According to Akbayan Rep. Ana Theresa “Risa” Hontiveros-Baraquel, De Castro has been taking too long to state a stand on the NBN issue, showing that he is taking a “wait-and-see” tack on the matter, and therefore should not be among those who should be considered to be a part of the transition government that would take over once Mrs. Arroyo resigns or is ousted from Malacañang.

Hontiveros-Baraquel said De Castro’s call for the scrapping of Executive Order 464, which prohibits the members of Mrs. Arroyo’s Cabinet and other government officials from testifying in legislative investigations, came too late to make an impression in the efforts to challenge the President’s oppressing and curtailing ways.

“Yes, we (opposition bloc in the House of Representatives) are (calling for his resignation). He is too late to be part of the

transition (government), but at least he can create the environment where a transition can happen to pave the way for system change,” she said.

Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara said the stand being shown by De Castro is similar to the “lukewarm” position taken by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on the current national issues that it stated through a pastoral letter it recently issued out to the public.

The political opposition has tagged De Castro as among the main beneficiaries of the alleged cheating operations of the administration in the 2004 presidential elections.

Sen. Loren Legarda maintained that De Castro should not be allowed to succeed the presidency because of this allegation.

“Should any major change take place in the country’s leadership as a consequence of the Senate inquiry and/or strong outrage being displayed by our people today, Mr. De Castro is not morally and politically deserving to hold the highest office of the land since his record is tainted by cheating in the 2004 presidential elections, thus he is by no means worthy of public trust. I am standing by this statement of judgment even as I respect our Constitution’s clear provision for presidential succession,” she stressed.

Legarda also said the Senate investigation into the NBN deal, which was forged by the government with Chinese firm ZTE Corp. April last year but was scrapped by Mrs. Arroyo last November, should not just serve as basis for resignations, “but for impeachment and/or criminal prosecution of those involved, regardless of public rank or office.”

“For me, the Senate’s investigations and findings should serve as basis not just for resignation/but for impeachment and/or criminal prosecution of those involved regardless of public rank and office. Accountability of public officials in the NBN-ZTE deal, including the President’s own, should not be compromised at all,” she said.

Legarda said she wants to see the Senate investigation of the controversy proceed and come to a conclusion that would determine culpability of those who have anything to do with the forging of the purported anomaly-tainted deal.

“I fully support and want a decisive conclusion to the current Senate inquiry to uncover the alleged corruption in order to recommend those responsible for criminal prosecution, without exempting anyone whatsoever,” she stated.

De Castro, meanwhile, reacted to the challenge posed to him by some members of the so-called “Hyatt 10,” that is composed of former Cabinet members of Mrs. Arroyo, to make a firm stand on the controversies hounding the administration, particularly the NBN-ZTE deal.

“Nobody can dictate to me what to say,” he said in shrugging off the group’s call.

De Castro added he is the “Vice President of the people, and not of President Arroyo.”

After uttering this, De Castro did not entertain any more related questions from the media, saying such are insignificant and should be ignored.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said he sees nothing wrong in De Castro’s demanding for the abolition of Executive Order 464.

“The Vice President has a mind of his own,” he said, adding that the Vice President is still an ally of the Palace and he believes he will continue to be one.

Reports last weekend said De Castro was already preparing to assume the presidency as the resignation or ouster of Mrs. Arroyo was in the offing with the mounting calls for her to step down over the NBN-ZTE scandal.

De Castro, however, sought to clarify that he was merely “prepared” to assume the presidency and was not “preparing” to take over from Mrs. Arroyo.

He said he, too, was seeking the truth in the controversies involving the government, but was not eager to replace the Chief Executive. Gerry Baldo and Sherwin C. Olaes

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